diff --git a/packages/angular/build/src/builders/unit-test/runners/vitest/plugins.ts b/packages/angular/build/src/builders/unit-test/runners/vitest/plugins.ts
index 72308b6b57d6..3cd8b05834e9 100644
--- a/packages/angular/build/src/builders/unit-test/runners/vitest/plugins.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/build/src/builders/unit-test/runners/vitest/plugins.ts
@@ -529,7 +529,8 @@ function validateBrowserCoverage(
       `Code coverage is enabled, but the following configured browsers do not support the V8 coverage provider: ` +
         `${unsupportedBrowsers.join(', ')}. ` +
         `V8 coverage is only supported on Chromium-based browsers (e.g., Chrome, Chromium, Edge). ` +
-        `Please disable coverage or remove the unsupported browsers.`,
+        `Please use the "istanbul" coverage provider (requires "@vitest/coverage-istanbul"), ` +
+        `remove the unsupported browsers, or disable coverage.`,
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/e2e/tests/vitest/browser-coverage-validation.ts b/tests/e2e/tests/vitest/browser-coverage-validation.ts
index e98da6495f0b..66342746a91a 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/tests/vitest/browser-coverage-validation.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/tests/vitest/browser-coverage-validation.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ export default async function (): Promise<void> {
       /Code coverage is enabled, but the following configured browsers do not support the V8 coverage provider: firefox/,
       'Expected validation error for unsupported browser with coverage (config name).',
     );
+    assert.match(
+      output2,
+      /Please use the "istanbul" coverage provider/,
+      'Expected the error to suggest the istanbul coverage provider.',
+    );
 
     // === Case 3: Browser configured via vitest.config.mts (instances) ===
     await writeFile(